Hinge construction for plastic molded parts



Aug. 27, 1957 K. w. coUsE 2,804,137

HINGE CONSTRUCTION FOR PLASTIC MOLDED PARTS Filed Nov. 2, 1955 2 shets-sheet 1 K. W. COUSE HINGE CONSTRUCTION FOR PLASTIC MOLDED PARTS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Aug. 27, 1957 Filed Nov. 2, 1955 Macy.

HINGE CONSTRUCTION FOR PLASTIC MOLDED PARTS Kibbey W. Cause, Newark, N. i.

Application November 2, 1955, Serial No. 544,531

Claims. (Cl. 160 231) This invention relates to hinge constructions and more particularly to a hinge construction of the type used for connecting non-metallic parts such as plastic molded parts or weatherproofed wood.

Owing to the nature of synthetic plastic material used for making various structures, such as out-door structures having a roof and swingable and collapsible wall enclosures, various problems are presented in providing a suitable weatherproof hinge therefor. Such hinges are dificult to construct, get out of order very easily, are insecure, are liable to leak after very little use and are expensive.

The present invention is intended and adapted to overcome these diiculties and disadvantages of the prior art constructions.

Another important object of the present invention is to provide a structure having a plastic roof and plastic collapsible side wall enclosures in which a hinge construction of improved formation is provided between the roof and side enclosures, the hinge construction being produced from iiexible hinge elements.

Other objects of the invention lare to provide a hinge construction of this kind which is strong and durable, weatherproof, capable of a variety of uses, freely acting, highly etlicient in operation, easy to install and assemble without the necessity of skilled labor, cannot become accidentally disassembled during use, simple in construction and can be manufactured and sold at a reasonable oost.

For further comprehension of the invention and of the objects and advantages thereof, reference will be had to the following description'and accompanying drawings, and -to the appended claims in which the various novel features of the invention are more particularly set forth.

In the accompanying drawings forming a material part of this disclosure:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary side perspective view of a structure having a roof panel and a side closure panel `connected by a hinge construction embodying my invention and showing the position of the hinge construction when the panels are in collapsed condition.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary top perspective view showing the position of the hinged construction when the panels are moved to partly open position.

Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 2 but showing the position of the hinge iconstructoin when the panels are moved to completely open position.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary detail view showing the inner face of the lower part of the hinge joint shown in Figure l.

Figure 5 is a vertical sectional view taken on the plane of the line 5 5 of Figure l.

Figure 6 is a vertical sectional view taken substantially on the plane of the line 6 6 of Figure 1.

Figure 7 is a fragmentary side elevational view taken on the plane of the line 7 7 of Figure 2 and looking in the direction of the arrows.

atent Patented Aug. 27, 1957 Figure 8 is a fragmentary perspective view of an anchoring member.

Figure 9 is a fragmentary perspective view of the hinge closure ap.

Referring in detail to the various views of the drawings, a hinge construction made in accordance with the present invention is illustrated as connecting a pair of laminated panels 1 and 2, capable of being collapsed, the panel 1 constituting the roof of an out-door structure and the panel 2 constituting a collapsible side wall closure member of such structure. The panels are of similar construction and each comprises two boards 3 and 4. The boards are formed of porous plastic material such as cellular cellulose `acetate but may be made of any other suitable material that is Weatherproof and waterproof and capable of withstanding extreme changes in temperature and climate. The boards are arranged back to back and separated by a web 5 of suitable woven material such as berglass cloth coated or impregnated with a plastic composition such as a polyester resin applied in liquid form and then dried. The outer surfaces of the boards are covered by sheets 6 of similar woven material. The lower end edge of each panel as viewed in Figure l is covered by a sheet 7 of similarly treated fiberglass cloth, said sheet extending around the corners of the boards 3 and 4 and upwardly zalong the outer surfaces thereof, with its inturned side edges 8 seated in cutaway portions 9 formed in the lower ends of the outer surfaces of the boards. The lower end of the cover 6 of each board 3 is secured thereto by spaced expanding plastic rivets 11B spaced along said cover and extending through the juxtaposed upturned side edges of the cover sheet 7 as shown in Figure 6.

The present invention is particularly directed to the provision of an improved connection for effecting a hinge union between the roof panel 1 and the side wall closure panel 2. In order to provide this hinge construction, it will be noted that the contiguous covers 6, 6 on the boards 4, 4 as viewed in Figure l are cutaway at their bottom ends as indicated at 11. A strip 12 of rubber or rubber composition is interposed between the cutaway portions 11, 11 of the boards for the length of said boards, with its side edges interposed between the cutaway ends 11, 11 of the covers 6 and the inturned side edges S of the cover sheets 7, the cutaway portions 11, 11 of the boards being cut suiciently deep to provide a clearance for such side. edges. The strip 12 is sufliciently wide to permit it toform a loop between the boards 4, 4 as indicated at 13 when the boards are in back to back relationship as. shown in Figure 1. The bottom ends of the covers 6, 6 and the overlapped side edges of the cover sheets 7 and .strip 12 are secured tothe boards 4, 4 by expanding plastic rivets 14 spaced along the boards as shown in Figure 5.

A strip 15 of rubber or rubber composition is spread across the bottom ends of the panels 1 and 2 as viewed in Figure 1 for the length of said panels. One side edge of the strip is turned around the outer corner of the board 3 of panel 2 and up along the inturned side edge 8 of the cover shaft 7 and is secured-in position by spaced expanding plastic rivets 16 extending through the bottom end of the cover sheet 6 on board 3 as shown in Figure 3. The other side edge of the strip 15 extends around the bottom outer corner of panel 1 a considerable distance inwardly over the cover sheet 6 thereon, ending at the edge of a groove 17 formed in the outer surface of board 3 of panel 1. The groove is substantially circular-shaped in crosssection and extends the length of the board. A device 18 of omega shape for anchoring the side edge of the strip 15 is seated in the groove 17 for the length thereof. This anchoring device is formed of Woven material similar to the material of web 5 and consists of a tubular body portion 19 substantially circular in cross section and fitting i n 3 snugly in the groove 17, with straight web portions terminating in flanges or wings 21 and 22 extending at right angles to the web portions in opposed directions as shown in Figure 8. The anchoring device is fttedinthe groove 17 with its flange 22 overlapping the side-edge 23.

of the strip 15 and said overlapped portions are fastened to the board 3 of panel 1 by spaced expanding plastic rivets 24 passing through the cover 6 .as shown inFigure 6. The cavity 25 in the anchoring device 18jissealed off-from the weather by Va flap 26 of rubber or rubber composition placed thereover. One side edge 27 of the flap is turned inwardly and interposed betweenthe flange 21 of the anchoring device and the cover 6 of the board 3 of panel 1 and is secured in position by expanding plastic rivets 28 spaced along the flange 21 .as shown in Figure 6.

In Figure 1, the panels 1 and 2 are shown moved to collapsed or nested condition, back to back, the flexibility and dimensions of the hinge strips 12 and 15 permitting this movement. In this condition, the hinge strip 15 is stretched over the end edges of the panels in weather protective engagement therewith, and the closure flap 26 seals the cavity in the anchoring device 18 in panel 1 from the weather.

In Figure 2, the structure is shown partly open with the panel 2 swung to an acute angular relationship with respect to panel 1. In this condition of the panels, the strip 12 is arched across the hinge joint at one side thereof and the strip 15 is bowed across the joint at the opposite side thereof whereby the joint is protected from the weather. The flap 26 continues to seal off the cavity of the anchoring device 18 in board 3 of panel 1 from the weather.

Figure 3 illustrates the panels swung to complete open position, edge to edge, lying in a common plane. In this condition of the panels, the strip 12 is stretched weatherproofwise across the hinge joint at one side thereof and the strip 15 assumes a looped formation outwardly and along the hinge joint at the opposite side thereof to protect said side from the weather. The flap 26 is protectively spread across the cavity in the anchoring device-18 in the board 3 of panel 1 with its free end edge interlocked with the looped formation at the base thereof. i

It will be understood that upon movement of lthe panel 2 to any of the aforesaid positions, any ice that might be lodged on the surfaces of the strips 12 and 15 will become dislodged due to the inherent flexibility of the `stripsso that the strips also serve as deicers.

It will be seen from the foregoing that I have provided a hinge construction which is weatherproof, versatile, easily installed and capable of a long life of usefulness.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred embodiment of my invention, it Will be understood that changes might be made .in details of construction without departing from the principle or scope of the invention, and I desire to be limited only by the stateY of the prior art and the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claimas new .and desire to secure by United States Letters Patent is:

l. In a structure having a pair of closely spaced panels. one of said panels having an elongated groove along one surface thereof remote from one edge thereof, a hinge construction for hingedly connecting said panels, said construction comprising a flexible strip interposed between the adjacent edges of said panels, said strip having its side edges secured to the panels adjacent their 4opposed edges at the side thereof, and another flexible strip stretched across the adjacent edges of the panels at the opposite side thereof, said latter strip having one side edge secured to one of the panels adjacent the edge thereof, and an anchoring device having an elongated looped split body fitted in said groove with an outer flange clamping the Aother side edge of the latter strip between said flange andthe panel.

2. In a structure having a pair of closely spaced plastic panels, one of said panels having an elongated groove along one surface thereof remote from ,oneY edge thereof, a hinge construction vcomprising a'rubberized strip inter- 4 posed between the adajcent edges of said panels, said strip having its side edges secured to the panels adjacent their opposed edges at one side thereof, and another rubberized strip stretched across the adjacent edges of the panels at the opposite side thereof, said latter strip having one side edge secured to one of the panels adjacent the edge thereof, a fiberglass cloth anchoring device having an elongated looped split body fitted in the groove in said panel, opening outwardly of the groove, said device having opposed outer flanges overlapping the surface of the panel adjacent said groove, one of said flanges clamping the other side edge of the second-named strip to the panel remote from its edge, and a flap overlapping the cavity in said anchoring device, one side edge of said flap being clamped underneath the other flange of said anchoring device.

3. In a structure having a pair of closely spaced plastic panels, one of said panels having an elongated groove along one surface thereof remote from one edge thereof, Ia hinge construction comprising a rubberized strip interposed between the adjacent edges of said panels, said st-rip having its side edges secured to the panels adjacent their opposed edges at one `side thereof, and another rubberized strip stretched across the adjacent edges of the panels `at the opposite side thereof, said latter strip having 'one side edge secured to one of the panels adjacent the edge thereof, a fiberglass cloth anchoring device having an elongated looped split body fitted in the groove in said panel, opening outwardly of the groove, said device having opposed outer flanges overlapping the surface of the panel adjacent said groove, one of said flanges clamping the other side edge of the second-named strip to the panel remote from its edge, a flap overlapping the cavity in said `anchoring device, one side edge of said flap being clamped underneath the other flange of said anchoring devi-ce, and fastening elements securing said flanges and `side edges to the panel.

4. In a structure having a pair of closely spaced panels, said panels being composed of cellular cellulose acetate material and having cover-s of woven fiberglass cloth on their outer surfaces, one of said panels having an elongated groove extending through one of its covers and Ithrough the panel underneath, remote from one edge of the panel, a hinge construction comprising a rubberized strip interposed between the adjacent edges of said panels at one end of the panels, said strip having its side edges secured to the panels adjacent their opposed edgesY at one side thereof, another rubberized strip stretched across t-he yadjacent edges of the panels at the opposite side thereof, said latter str-ip having one side edge secured to one of -the panels adjacent the edge thereof, a fiberglass cloth `anchoring devi-ce with an elongated looped split body fitted in said elongated groove, opening outwardly of the ends of the panels forming the hinge joint, a flexible flap of rubber composition overlapping the cavity in said anchoring device, the other flange on said anchoring device overlapping one side edge of said flap, and fastening elements securing said flanges and overlapped side edges of the strips to the panel.

5. In a structure hav-ing a pair of closely spaced panels, one of said panels having an elongated groove in one surface thereof `and parallel to one edge thereof, a hinge construction comprised of a flexible strip interposed between the adjacent edges of said panels, said strip having its side edges secured to the panels adjacent their opposed edges at one side thereof, and another flexible strip stretched across the'adjacent edges of the panels -at the opposite side thereof, said latter strip having one side edge secured to one of the panels adjacent the edge thereof, an anchoring device having an elongatedbody fitted in the groove in said panel, said device having opposed outer flanges 5 overlapping the surface of "che panel adjacent the groove, one of said anges clamping the other side edge of the second-named strip to the panel, and a ex-ible ap overllapping the anchoring device, one side edge of the said -ap bei-ng clamped underneath the other 'anvge of said 5 anchoring device.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Siedschlfag Oct. 12, 1943 Smith Feb. 26, 1946 Van Vliet Aug. 19, 1952 

